In 1929 and 1934, southern textile mill hands, about 400,000 of them, created one of the largest united labor mobilizations in U.S. history. They faced remarkable opposition by management and the state, but the workers wrote, sang, and played songs informed by their own convictions and subcultures, finding a voice on the streets and especially on the radio. The authors, both sociologists, admit the corporate interests ultimately won, and some radio stations were slapped down, but the point was made that the media is a powerful ally in political, social, and economic issues. Annotation c2004 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)